LCD evaluation and other preparations for FC handset

[Mychaela Falconia]

OK, so I picked up the package from HaoRan LCD company and examined
their LCDs.  Two observations, one expected, the other unexpected:

The expected observation: the end of the FPC tail that is meant to go
into a connector has straight edges, the corners are sharp 90 deg, no
rounding.

The unexpected observation: the contacts are on the "wrong" side.  On
both the historical GPM526A0 LCD in the Pirelli DP-L10 and the shiny
new KD020C-2A from Startek the contacts appear to be on the top when
the FPC tail is stretched out or on the bottom when the FPC tail is
folded under the LCD; HaoRan's HT020K1QC36S has them on the opposite
side.  Looking at their datasheet more carefully I see that the
drawing included therein does indicate the contact location, i.e., the
delivered product does match the datasheet description - I simply
overlooked it when I originally studied this DS, as I had naively
assumed that the contacts would be in the "natural" location.

Having the contacts on the wrong side fully invalidates my earlier
idea of using a Hirose FH33 series connector - these connectors are
not made in a "contacts on top" version, and it is difficult to fault
Hirose for not making such connectors as the "contacts on top"
arrangement is highly unnatural.

In light of this discovery I have revised my plan of action: given
that our current most immediate need is to compare the LCD picture
quality between HaoRan and Startek and help guide the decision between
these two vendors, in the interest of time expediency I am simplifying
my HT020K1QC36S LCD test board idea: I will put this LCD on the test
board with its tail stretched out (not folded under like it would need
to be in the real handset), and use the known-good FH12-36S-0.5SH
connector.  This test board won't help with prototyping the mechanical
arrangement for the handset, but it will hopefully allow us to solidify
the Startek vs. HaoRan decision.  Given that the two vendors' LCDs
have their FPC contacts on relatively opposite sides, the mechanical
arrangement would have to be quite different for one vs. the other,
thus it would be easier to select the LCD vendor first based on the
picture quality comparison, and then work out the mechanical
arrangements for that chosen LCD.

Now that I have the FPC connector picked out for the HaoRan LCD test
board and the discussion with Hirose is being postponed until after
the LCD picture quality comparison, there is no more obstacle and I
can now proceed with the design of this very simple test PCB.  I am
hoping to get this PCB design done and sent out to fab some time this
week.

Hasta la Victoria, Siempre,
Mychaela aka The Mother